Monday, January 25, 2016

WHO SEARO Statement On Thailand's Imported MERS Case

While MERS activity has been on the decline the past few months, last summer in Our Global Game Of Whac-A-MERS we looked at the ongoing threat of seeing MERS infected travelers arriving unannounced anywhere in the world.

As the ECDC map above illustrates, while MERS cases have all originated from the Arabian peninsula, its prolonged (up to 15 day) incubation period allows those exposed ample time to board a plane and unknowingly transport the virus globally (see Why Airport Screening Can’t Stop MERS, Ebola or Avian Flu).

In Korea, a single introduction last May led to 185 additional infections, and 36 deaths, spread across a dozen or more medical facilities. By contrast, the following month a single infected traveler arrived in Thailand, and was quickly diagnosed and isolated, preventing further spread.

SEAR/PR/1618

New Delhi, 24 January 2016: Thailand today
confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV)
disease in a traveler, the second such case in the country in the last
seven months, as WHO cautioned other member states in its South-East
Asia Region against the continuing risks and the need to remain
vigilant.

“The new case of MERS CoV is a reminder of the continued risk of
importation of the disease from countries where it still persists. All
countries need to further enhance surveillance for severe acute
respiratory infections, focus on early diagnosis, and step up infection
prevention and control procedures in health-care facilities to rapidly
detect any case of importation and effectively prevent its spread,” Dr
Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region,
said.

A 71-year -old national from Oman, who arrived in Bangkok, Thailand for
treatment on 22 January, and was admitted to a private hospital, tested
positive for MERS CoV. He has since been transferred to the
Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute. Measures are being taken
to trace all those who could have been in his contact during his journey
to Thailand, and within Bangkok.

This is the second MERS CoV case in Thailand and in the WHO South-East
Asia Region. Earlier, on 18 June 2015 another Omani national who
arrived in Bangkok for treatment, was tested positive for MERS CoV.

In the recent past, countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region have
been reviewing and strengthening preparedness to respond to MERS CoV.

WHO has been strongly advocating for strengthening health systems and
ensuring strict infection control measures are in place in countries to
respond to infectious diseases such as MERS CoV.

In the Region, WHO is supporting Ministries of Health to build
capacities and strengthen preparedness as required under the
International Health Regulations (2005) to effectively detect and
respond to outbreaks and other hazards.

MERS CoV is caused by a virus. Typical symptoms include fever, cough and
shortness of breath. Pneumonia is common, but not always present.
Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, have also been reported.